A GROWING local commercial insurance broker is going from strength to strength – and it has now relocated to raise its profile.

Finch Group has moved from its Winchester Road offices to Copenhagen Court, in Basingstoke’s Top of The Town.

The firm, headed by managing director Vince Gardner, is on the ground floor of the office building in busy New Street.

Clearly delighted with the location and Finch Group’s bright new offices, complete with window branding, Vince said: “The idea was to try to raise our profile after we had been at the back of somebody’s office here in Basingstoke for three years.

“This office space had been empty for a while, and we were able to get a very good deal through the agent Hollis Hockley.”

“This is obviously a kind of flagship office for this building, because it’s very visible from the road – it’s certainly a profile raiser.”

The Reading-headquartered commercial insurance broker and financial services firm first opened its Basingstoke office back in 2011.

“The hunch then, and still is, is that Basingstoke needs a professional insurance broker,” said Vince. “Clearly, it’s had the likes of Swinton and A-Plan, which specialise in household and motor insurance, which is personal insurance, whereas we are very much business-to-business.”

Vince said the office change coincides with Finch Group’s move to develop its marketing through its revamped website designed by Craig Killick, of Click 71, based in nearby Cross Street, and its partnership with telemarketing firm GenLead, which has relocated from Basing View offices, to share the Copenhagen Court office space with the insurance broker.

Vince said: “Through this partnership, we want to push hard on all the business parks and industrial estates in Basingstoke, as there seems to me to be a big opportunity here.

“Our research shows that a lot of businesses in this area are insured with insurance brokers that are out of town – very few are insured by a local firm. But I firmly believe that people in Basingstoke like to buy from people in Basingstoke.”

Vince has ambitious plans to continue to grow the business to hit a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of £30million in around three years.

“The plans are to double the size of the business,” he said. “Previous plans that we’ve put into place have all succeeded, where we have had 50 per cent organic growth within three or four years.”

Vince said: “All the local construction companies that have made good over the years have all migrated to us in the last few years because of the service we give, and we price aggressively as well.”

Playing a part in the local community is important for the former Hook & Newnham Basics first cricket team captain.

He said Finch Group is committed long-term to Basingstoke and the sporting community and is sponsoring north Hampshire’s top limited overs cricket competition – the Guy Jewell Cup –which will involve 15 different teams.

In addition, Finch Group is also continuing its long-standing relationship with Basingstoke Rugby Football Club.

“As a local business, we pride ourselves on our community involvement and are delighted to support Basingstoke RFC, and wish them every success,” said Vince.

“We have also announced a two-year sponsorship deal at Hook & Newnham Basics Cricket Club, cementing our sporting theme.”

The firm has also been a supporter of Café Dome, in Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, which helps young people with learning disabilities.